Kamares Cave
A path from Kamares village on the south slopes of Ida mountains leads to Kamares cave. The huge entrance of the cave (40m wide and 20m high) can be seen from the Minoan palace of Phaestos. The cave is located at an altitude of 1786m and the difficult ascend which takes about 4 hours rewards the visitor with panoramic views of the Messara plain and the Libyan sea.
A big part of the steep route is through a wooded area with fresh water springs. A distinct form of pottery was found in the cave, dating from 1900 to 1700 BC. It is a sort of “egg-shelled” pottery, thin and delicate decorated with bright colours. Remains of seeds and grain in the jars, indicate that they were used for sacrificial offerings. The findings can be seen in the archaeological museum of Heraklion.
